The passing of the legendary Dame Maggie Smith in September 2024 has cast a poignant shadow over the upcoming third installment of Downton Abbey. The beloved actress, who departed at age 89, had already bid farewell to her character Violet, the Dowager Countess, in the franchise’s second film, Downton Abbey: A New Era. Now, Executive Producer Gareth Neame has revealed plans for a touching tribute to both the acclaimed performer and her unforgettable character.
“The fact that Dame Maggie herself has now passed away since that time, I do think, has given a real added poignancy to a story that we would have planned anyway,” Neame told TVLine. “The loss of the Dowager, it now feels far more significant that you see actors playing characters mourning the family matriarch. But I also see actors mourning the matriarch of the show, and it feels more genuine and more meaningful.”
Neame emphasized that the cast and crew’s “huge respect” will “come across in the next movie,” adding: “We will never see the like of Dame Maggie Smith ever again.” Hugh Bonneville, who portrayed Smith’s on-screen son, Robert Crawley, shared insights about how the third chapter will serve as a “lasting tribute” to the iconic actress. During a November appearance on Virgin Radio, Bonneville revealed: “We finished a third – and I think probably final – Downton Abbey film this summer, which will come out next September. That is a wonderful sort of closing off of all the stories, so it’s a proper film for the fans.”
Bonneville continued: “It’s very much set in the house and saying goodbye to all these characters and we obviously say goodbye to Dame Maggie, which was very poignant on screen and now in real life. She’ll be sorely missed. But the final film will obviously be a great lasting tribute to her.” Following months of speculation, the third Downton Abbey film received official confirmation earlier this year. The upcoming feature will maintain its creative continuity with Julian Fellowes returning as writer and A New Era‘s Simon Curtis directing, alongside the return of many beloved cast members.
The returning ensemble includes Hugh Bonneville, Elizabeth McGovern, Michelle Dockery, Laura Carmichael, Jim Carter, Phyllis Logan, Robert James-Collier, Joanne Froggatt, Allen Leech, Penelope Wilton, and Dominic West. Also confirmed to reprise their roles are Lesley Nicol, Michael Fox, Raquel Cassidy, Brendan Coyle, Kevin Doyle, Harry Hadden-Paton, Sophie McShera, and Douglas Reith, with hints that additional fan favorites will make appearances.
The franchise welcomes newcomers Joely Richardson, Alessandro Nivola, Simon Russell Beale, and Arty Froushan to the cast, while Paul Giamatti returns as Harold Levinson—Cora Grantham’s brother whom he portrayed in a previous Christmas special. The film is scheduled for theatrical release in September 2025.
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